Butte pet store can resume selling rats, mice

The Butte-Silver Bow Council of Commissioners passed an emergency measure allowing a pet store owner to resume selling mice and rats as food for snakes.

The Montana Standard reports the council on Wednesday approved a 90-day moratorium on a 1977 ordinance that banned the sale of mice and rats in Butte-Silver Bow.

Animal control officers on Dec. 20 told "Fish Bowl" owner Mark Dawson to stop selling rodents as of Jan. 1. They said a child had been bitten by a rat traced back to his store and they had no choice but to enforce the ordinance.

Dawson questions the bite report and said enforcement of the ordinance cost him thousands of dollars in business.

The measure passed Wednesday gives the government time to evaluate and update the regulation.